thriller

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The drive to the old family house took less than an hour. Whether that was because the house was not that far off or that I drove at the maximum speed possible, Anita couldn’t tell.

We drove in an eerie silence for the most part of the trip. Anita kept asking where we were going, and upon seeing the direction we were headed, why we were going there. She gave up after her attempts at starting a conversation was met with stony silence from me.

I wasn’t angry with her, I just needed to focus. It occurred to me then that Silas did not just not give chase. He was tracking us for and for all I knew, was headed to the very same location as I was…worse still, was there waiting for me. I knew I was probably going to die today, but one thing was clear, I, not Silas would kill that old goat.

I tried to imagine the pain he caused Anita, and the torture…right after Jo’s death for that matter. No wonder she withdrew so suddenly. And mum knew about it! I was livid.

As we arrived at the house, I looked everywhere for any sign of Silas. There was none. The old goat’s car was parked in front as always…he hardly went out lately, not since the accident with his leg some time last year.

Okay fine, I did keep track on them more than I cared to admit earlier. It was more out of curiosity than care… then maybe not. In any case, this was not going to be a caring visit.

I got out of the car, slammed the door behind me and walked to the other side waiting for Anita to step out. She didn’t. I looked at her through the window and we locked eyes. I saw she was scared to death, but more importantly, she saw my resolve to right this wrong that had befallen her, us… she saw that I would protect her to my death. I gave her a slow nod of encouragement and she got out then.

“Silas might be here already, so…” I didn’t need to finish, she got the message loud and clear.

The gate to the house was open. The main door was also unlocked. We both took a deep breath and stepped in.

The house looked pretty much the same way we left it. The smell of alcohol hung strongly in the air as we stepped past the entrance into the large living room. There he sat, legs crossed, huge half-full bottle of whisky on a stool beside him, a smoking cigarette in one hand, complete with a smile on his face.

“Welcome kids. Sit down.”

We didn’t see that coming. He actually expected us. The hair on my skin rose sharply and I knew then that we were in grave danger. Something was wrong.

“Sit, come on.”

Anita sat. I stood, one arm on her shoulder, the other behind me, clutching my gun.

Something was definitely wrong. I looked around the house again for anything out of place, nothing. I couldn’t place it but something was not right. I retracted the arm behind me and pointed the gun at him. He was unfazed.

“I’m listening.”

He just eyed me, and took the bottle for another gulp. The bottle shattered before he could get any into his mouth, glass and liquid all over him.

“The next bullet will go through your mouth.”

He laughed again.

I was getting frustrated. What’s it with this man?

He stood up, shook the glass off him, sized me up and made his way to the wine bar.

The nerve! I sent two bullets to each of his kneecaps and watched him crumble to the ground in pain. He looked up at me, surprised.

“I take it I have your attention now.”

“No not that. I just expected the bullet to the head, not the kneecaps. You’ve gone soft, they were right.”

“They?” Anita voiced my thoughts.

He just smiled and pushed himself up to the couch, ignoring the blood.

It occurred to me then that everything he did and had done was very intentional. Me, Anita and even right now. This was no ordinary businessman.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I briskly walked up to him and punched him hard, grabbed his neck in rage:

“I came here for some answers and you’ll give me some before I leave here.”

“Or what? You’ll kill me? Huh? Dark!!!”

I froze! What the hell is going on here?

“What? How did you…”

“That’s because he’s also an agent, like you.”

We all turned to the sound of mother’s voice as she walked in, taking in the scene unfazed. Anita was on her feet.

I staggered backwards, letting go of his neck. I didn’t know how to react. It’s not like I cared that they weren’t my parents, but the ease with which she said it and the apparent lack of discomfort at all the blood in the room or the violence.

I quickly backed up and pushed Anita to a wall, standing in front of her.

She just laughed and sat on the chair beside her husband. I saw her closely now, her eyes were crimson red like she had been smoking or crying or drinking excessively, I couldn’t say. She had put on a little weight and her hair had greyed a bit. This woman, whose approval I sought for above all while growing up, wasn’t our mother.

“Don’t be so shocked. I’ll explain in a minute, but I swear to you, you’re both not our children. However, he is.”

Silas literally appeared that very moment and before I could react, he had disarmed me and slammed both Anita’s and my face to the wall with such force I felt the blood flow.

“Not yet. Let them hear the story.”

So, in that uncomfortable position, pressed to the wall by a raging Silas, we heard the story.

They were both agents/security operatives and part of their program was to raise us to be too. The way the program ran, they gave up their child in exchange for others. So, while they were to tactfully prepare us to be monsters like themselves, other agents were doing same with their child. The strategy was – let the children know what love is, and then take it away from them. Make them damaged goods so they can blend into the system (be recruited) without much ado. Everything about our lives was planned – schools, jobs, experiences, purpose etc.

However, Jo’s death wasn’t planned. Once that happened, they knew that Jo’s parents, who had their son (Silas) would take it out on him (and they did beyond measure). That explained the bitterness and sudden change after. They were human after all. They accelerated Anita’s learning process, made mine worse and fast forward a few years down the line, here we all are.

“But I’m not an agent? I haven’t killed anybody.” Anita blurted out.

Mother laughed heartily.

“My dear, do you know how many assassinations you have carried out without knowing? You think all the men you slept are still alive? Hahahaa. Those pills you take before your engagements are not contraceptives baby.”

It was a perfectly evil conceived plan.

Father laughed then. My blood boiled.

“I wish I could see the look on your faces.” He said. “Silas. Son.”

Silas eased the pressure on our necks and turned us to face them. A kick in the knees sent us down. Silas wasn’t taking chances, especially with me. He needn’t have bothered as I was too destabilized to do anything.

“And guess who came up with this amazing plan. The current VP! Back in his glory days in uniform! Hahaahahaa! Can you imagine that? Anita, you overhead a plot or something didn’t you and that led you all right here. Hahahaaaha. The irony.”

I struggled to regain control but my head spun. I was also careful not to make a slight move cos from his position, Silas could end us in a second.

“I’m sorry, we’re not the ones to die today. You are failed products, nothing like Silas.” He produced a gun, aimed squarely at my head. “You’re both going to hell today.”

The world slowed down. In a split second I felt the blood being pumped through my veins, the adrenaline being pumped through my entire body, the cool air from the air conditioner on my cheek, the vibrations of the rug as Anita shook beside me. I felt everything…especially the slightest of ease in the grip Silas held me in.

I rolled forward with all the strength and speed I had in me, before Silas had the chance to react, and sent three small daggers flying. He had no chance.

They hit their targets. Gun hand. Forehead. Chest.

I was already up on my feet, spinning to take on Silas when with the corner of my eyes, I saw mother snatch the falling gun mid-air (absolutely mad reflexes). As I spun I saw Silas, already pointing the gun in my direction. I knew this was it. I froze.

The shot rang out. Loud.

When the smoke cleared, mother lay on the ground beside her husband. Silas, gun still in hand only said.

“Such lousy parents.”

I took a deep breath and turned back to look at their bodies, Anita beside me.

“Wow.” That was all she could say.

I looked at Silas who gave a short nod.

It dawned on us at the same time and we turned and walked out of the house into a car Silas indicated.

We were quiet but we all knew.

We all knew that this whole thing was a plan from the beginning. The three of us were not here by accident. I looked at the back mirror and caught Anita’s eyes, they were set, as were Silas’.

Anita hadn’t heard of the assassination plot by accident. What we now understood with clarity was that we were the assassination plot.

You see, when I see people who say they are black, their complexion usually varies between a tint above ‘yellow’ and some dark shade of chocolate. I on the other hand, am a dark shade of black, if such a term even made sense.

Speaking of sense, my colour made none. My parents were fair skinned, like fair enough for people to want to bleach to achieve their colour, you get my drift. My two siblings, Joseph and Anita, were light skinned. Anita could comfortably pass for a half caste. Okay, maybe my grandparents were dark…nope. All light skinned on every side. In fact, in both my and my parents’ generation in the family, I was the only black dark one.

Naturally this affected me a little a WHOLE LOT while growing up. It was one thing to question if you were really adopted, but it was another thing when your supposed parents questioned your origins. So, I heard things like –

“I wonder where you got this behavior from. Certainly not me.”

“Don’t look at me like that, you black thing!”

“You’ve broken something again? God knows you can’t be my child”

Etcetera, etcetera. These words usually floated out in fits of anger when I was being beaten for something I had done (or not done) or when either of them were drunk.

See, my parents were not monsters. They were actually pretty nice people and I loved them to pieces… still do in a way. They weren’t perfect and neither was I (even though I knew thought at the time, that I was less perfect than they were), and I accepted them for who they were. My siblings on the other hand, couldn’t care less if was black, white or orange. In fact, Anita once attempted to paint me pink with poster colour to brighten me up. Did I mention that I got flogged for that too? It was somehow my fault since I encouraged it – I should be proud of how I looked and not seek to change. I knew then that they were crazy. Why in the world would they expect me to be proud of how I looked, when they weren’t? Tah!

Anita and Jo didn’t care. But I cared. You would too if you always stuck out in the family portrait.

I managed this issue through childhood, but by the time I got to my teenage years, it was a different ball game entirely. Joseph died from cancer which we detected when it was already too late. After which everyone kept their distance from me. Somehow, it was Vince’s fault. My fault. I was scarred for life when my mum, drunk with alcohol and grief, pointed at me- You killed him. You cursed and evil child you killed my Jo!

I wept that day. First for Jo, my elder brother who defended me for being me and who I loved more than life itself, and then I cried for myself. What did I do to deserve this? Did I ask to be born this way? If I really was adopted (which they always denied), did I force them to take me in?

That was the beginning of the end of our relationship as a family. I just stopped trying, and I didn’t care. Dad and mum attended to my basic needs and left it at that. Even Anita began to withdraw and keep to herself…it pained me to think that she also thought I had in some way taken the life of our elder brother.

I was fortunate to get a respectable job as soon as I completed my studies. I packed my bags and left, never looking back. They had my address and number to reach me if they needed me, and they never did. Neither did I.

I didn’t care about my parents, but I watched Anita from a distance.

My baby sister had disappeared and a woman emerged. A model, doing very well by all standards.

I was proud of her. I loved her beyond words. But I didn’t know her, not anymore.

The outcast was gone. Good riddance.

I was able to cover my esteem issues with hard work at the office, and rose steadily. Outside that, I had almost no friends, didn’t socialize much at all, spent a lot of time at the gym or by myself reading anything of interest I could lay my hands on, or on my other hobbies. But I mostly worked.

People generally avoided me and in the same generality, I avoided them. It was perfect. Relationships? Wasn’t interested in any more sympathy. I felt that the ladies who did throw themselves at me, for reasons I cannot begin to phantom, did so out of pity. So I ignored them and went about my business.

Back when I still believed in the existence of a God, I used to ask what His grand plan was for someone like me. I couldn’t have been a factory error, so what was it? I guess I must have been, cos He never responded. Probably didn’t have time for a defected product.

The hotel room felt darker than normal when Ini opened her eyes. She lay still for a couple of seconds, allowing her eyes to get accustomed to the dark room as she looked around. She could make out the shape of the desk beside her, the fridge at the corner, and a few other things in the spacious suite.

She felt heavy.

Stretching, she reached out beside her and realized that he was gone. He never stayed till morning even though she had begged several times. He just never did. She was used to that…could live with that.

She felt around the bed for her phone to check the time, but she couldn’t find it. That’s strange, I could have sworn I left it here beside me. Or maybe he kept it on the table? Why in the world is it so dark?

She reached out and flicked the light switch on. Nothing

I’m so pressed!

Ini dragged herself out of bed and instinctively found her way to the bathroom. She reached for the light switch. Again, nothing.

Must be a power outage

She did her thing, cleaned up in the dark and stepped out.

“OH MY GOD!”, she cried out as she staggered backwards.

The silhouette on the bed only shifted slightly.

She recovered. “Baby is that you? Gosh you scared me.” She walked towards the bed. “But I can’t believe you stayed all night, I must be doing something right.”

She heard it before she felt it. It sounded like a mad rush of air, lasting only for half a second before the force of something hit her on the head and knocked her off her feet.

What was that? Why? Had she done anything wrong?

As she hit the floor with a soft thud, thanks to rug, she opened her eyes to see him standing above her. The only problem was that he wasn’t HIM. This was someone something else…

He held her throat before she could cry out. His hands were so big. She froze… not like she could move from his grip if she wanted to.

With his second big hand, he formed a fist. She stared in shock as it made its way at seriousdamagekm/hr towards her face.

Oh my God!

Hours later, the cleaning maid discovered her brutalized body on the bed.

She wasn’t breathing.

Within an hour of that, the Police arrived – noisily. They started asking questions, cordoned off areas of the hotel, made a scene of everything. All the other hotel guests took off as soon as they figured out what was happening.

In the midst of the chaos, BALOS arrived at the entrance of the hotel. He sighed deeply as he looked out at the hotel from his car.

Here we go again.

It was Saturday morning and RICHARD was not in the mood to do anything. After hanging out with the crew last night, he just wanted to stay in and rest.

He had gotten up early, did some work, had breakfast, showered, watched some TV, dozed a bit and woke up to find out it was still 10am! He grunted and rolled onto the floor and just laid there, staring at the ceiling.

He had never exactly committed to anyone like he did to Ini. It was strange, the hollow feeling he felt in his chest. The calm and relief he felt last night when he was out being gone now, he felt so alone now.

Hmm, maybe I’ll go out after all.

Just then his phone rang. He ignored it. It rang out and then started all over again. Again, and again.

He stared at the phone for a full minute before it fell out of his trembling hands.

INI

He got up and got dressed. As he stared into the mirror, a thought crossed his mind. No, it couldn’t be.

He grabbed his phone and dialed.

“Hey Rich boy! Hello! Hello!!” Ikenna sounded like his excited self on the other side of the line.

“Hey Ike..Ikenna. What’s up man?”

“Good good. Hope you’re okay man? You know we’re here for you man. We got your back no matter what man. Hmmm?”

“Hmmm.”

“Hmmm. So, what’s up? Anything?”

“Nothing. Just checking up on you.”

“Hmmm. Rich, that just sounds weird, or has this break up turned you gay?” After a pause. “You’ll be fine Rich. She didn’t deserve you okay? OKAY?”

“Yeah, yeah I’ve heard. Say, let’s hook up later today.”

“Oh that won’t be possible bro.”

“Why?”

Pause

“Hello, Ikenna. Why?”

“I’m out of town bro.”

Richard felt a chill on as a few of seconds’ silence ensued between them.

“When did…”

“I got an emergency job and took off this morning. See bro, I gotta go now. Will holla at you later. Be easy okay. She didn’t deserve you man, forget her” Click.

And he hung up. Just like that. He stared at the phone, not knowing what to think.

Incredibly and of all times, Cynthia, Bode and Sam were all unreachable.

Are they in on this? Whatever this was?

An hour later, he was at the hotel reception with Inspector Balos.

“Please just call me Balos, or Inspector sir.”

Balos was a short man in his late thirties. He had been on another case with little or no sleep and now, he was summoned to investigate the death of some lady. Why? Because he was easily the smartest among his peers. And oh, it involved a certain bloodily rich son of a late well respected and loved business tycoon. It was to be a ‘case opened, case closed’ situation.

Besides, in all his years of experience he could almost smell a killer from a mile off. Richard was not close to being one, even by a long pole. He was basically just filling out paper work and taking statements. In addition to the fact that they had some sort of relationship, (he could tell it was over from her phone records), Richard had been in touch with the subject of the investigation much earlier the day before, and it was just protocol to follow the leads. So, he asked all the questions he was supposed to. Occasionally pausing to ‘hmmm’ or ‘ahh’ as the need arose.

“Okay so you were there, all five of you, till when?”

“About 11, 11:30? I didn’t really keep track of time but I know we were out of there by 11:30pm.”

Balos scribbled.

“And from there, you went home. Alone.”

“Yes.”

“And can anybody verify that?”

“My Staff at home.” He snapped.

He was beginning to get uncomfortable with and tired of the questions. Balos noticed with a slight nod of his head. He was done anyway.

“Anything else you feel may be useful sir? An ex? Someone who had a grudge?”

“No idea inspector.”

“Hmm. Okay, you’re free to go sir. Sorry for your loss, I guess. Do let me know if you have any other information.”

Richard nodded slowly and turned to walk away. He still looked pale and shocked to his bones.

“Sir, are you sure you don’t need an escort or some assistance in getting home?”

Richard waved him off and walked away.

Balos stared after him and watched him as he walked out the main door of the hotel.

He signaled to one of his boys

“Please follow Mr. Richie Rich there and ensure he gets home safely. I cannot and will not be responsible for any stupid road raged reaction based on all this”

“Yes sir.”

Corporal Solomon quickly ran to catch up with Richard and saw him walking into his car.

“In fact, I didn’t see it coming. I actually thought she was taking me out on an anniversary date or something. Only it ended up being an anniversary break up. What nonsense!”

Richard slammed his hand on the table. Nobody reacted this time, after all, he had been banging the table all night as he told them about his breakup with his girlfriend.

They were having drinks at the very exclusive VIP section of a cozy bar, so it was okay to slam his hands. In fact, they could scream at the top of their voices all night and no one outside would be any wiser.

He looked around the table at his guys… Ikenna, Bode, Sam, Cynthia… friends for eight years now. He focused his eyes on Cynthia, the pretty genius, who seemed deep in thought as she sipped a glass of tonic water. As the only babe among the guys, she had successfully managed to put them all in a friend zone so deep, and so far in, that all attempts in the past to break free of the ‘friendly’ shackles were only met with more zoning. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she was a heck of a beauty. So, while she insisted that any of their girlfriends and wives had to be at least, as pretty as she was, they all derived joy playing ‘big brother’ for her potential men.

They all let the moment pass by before Bode, the geek, looked up from his phone.

“So, what are you going to do now Rich?”

“Mehn, I don’t know man. I don’t know.”

“I don’t get, how don’t you know?” Ikenna dropped his glass of water with the usual cynical look in his eyes. Ikenna the Casanova.

“I don’t know is what I’m saying. Am I to go and beg her to…”

“What? Beg who or what? Please please move on! Look around you, there’s plenty where that came from”. He stretched his hands to buttress his point. “And if push comes to shove, I’m sure Cynthia can satisfy your needs until…ARGHHH!!!”

They all bust out laughing as he wiped off the tonic which Cynthia, seated beside him, had skillfully thrown at his face.

“In your dreams perv!”

“Love you too, hahaha!” Ikenna pulled her towards him by the shoulder and gave her a peck.

“You see why it’s had for this fine girl to find a man? You guys keep chasing them away by all these PDAs you show towards her.” Sam, the big brother.

“Hey Sam, I’m not complaining”

“Well I’m complaining on your behalf”

“Awwwww, Sam wants his own peck. Come on, you could have just asked! Babe give him a peck too” Ikenna pushed Cynthia towards Sam.

“Please I’m married.”

“Ahhh, I’m sure Oluchi approves. Plus she’s never around anyway, she wouldn’t mind me giving you some love” Cynthia said as she grabbed him and tried to peck him, while he made a show of trying to keep her away. “Come on… yes Bode take the shots”

Bode, never one to miss moments like these, already had his phone in position.

Richard laughed with them as Cynthia eventually forced the peck on Sam and sat on him while Bode clicked away and Ikenna photo-bombed, making goofy expressions with his face.

This was what he loved about these crazy bunch, they just had a way of making him forget he was supposed to be feeling pain.

When they finally settled down, Cynthia spoke about the issue for the first time that night.

“So Rich, I know you don’t want to hear this but I…”

Oh please don’t

“… told”

You’re right, I don’t want to hear it

“… you”

Ahh, camman!

“…so! I don’t get why you all still don’t listen to me, after all these years.

“But we listen to you…. We just choose NOT to take your advice cos deep in our hearts, we’re not ready to settle down yet. Right Rich?”

“Hahaha, except Sam. And he was ready to take the plunge, weren’t you, old man?” Bode elbowed Sam.

Richard shook his head. “I really thought this would work out though, I mean, two years! She said I’m crazy.” He took a sip of his drink.

“Oh wow, she must be the crazy one. Damn! Thank God she didn’t and doesn’t know how rich Richard really is.” Cynthia said as she got up.

“Aaaaahhhh, yes!” Everyone laughed out loud, blurting out their own opinions of how rich he was.

Richard WAS freaking rich actually. A massive inheritance when his parents passed on eight years ago, smart work and a cool head accounted for all that. His friends just called him “Rich” to buttress the point. However, he was very modest, and lived a simple lifestyle, nothing extravagant.

Richard, the rich one.

He stood up on cue with the others. “I’ll get the bill guys”

“Before?” Ikenna blurted out and they all laughed again.

They walked out talking and laughing.

The got to the car park and were saying their goodbyes.

“But for real though, that girl has got to pay sha.”

Richard looked at Ikenna. “Pay. How?”

“Pay pay pay!. Why does she think she can take my boy on a cruise like that? We have to treat her mess up for real.”

Everyone paused and looked at him for a few seconds, trying to determine if Ikenna was serious.

The last time he was serious, the guy (who messed up with Cynthia) did pay and actually ended up in a hospital the very next day. Funny thing though, Ikenna had travelled out of State first thing in the morning of the assault. So, though he never admitted it, they all knew without a doubt that he had arranged it. Crazy play boy as he was, Ikenna was loyal to his friends… to a fault.

“Ikenna… now there’s no need for…”

He burst out laughing and they all followed suit.

“Guy chill, just kidding now. What could I possibly do?”

Cynthia rolled her eye sarcastically as she hugged them all. They said their goodbyes, headed to their respective cars and drove off.

If the passengers hadn’t panicked before now, after hearing the innocent naïve-of-what’s-really-happening voice of that little girl, everyone freaked out.

Yinka dared to look out the window to realize that the little girl was spot on. OH MY GOD!

Beside him, Cassandra still, held his hand, eyes tightly shut, a streak of tears coming down her face.

Is this how I’m going to die? Just like this? GOD have mercy.

His life virtually flashed before his eyes.

He should have called when he had the chance. Now his cheating fiancée would never know that he knew that she was a worthless cow. He could imagine the tears at the funeral and all that.

Am I really going to die?

I’ve not been perfect, but I’ve been faithful in my own little way. Forgive me my shortcomings LORD, if I do have to meet you today, then I will do it with a bang.

He freed his hand from Cassandra’s grip and struggled to reach beneath his seat. He pulled out his laptop bag, yanked his laptop out and powered up.

Cassandra looked at him like he’d lost his mind, but he didn’t care.

This would be the last article by Yinka Bado.

Title: ENROUTE

CASSANDRA was at a loss at why Yinka suddenly felt that writing an article was so important in probably his last moments on earth.

He looks at peace, my goodness!

She turned from him and tried to ignore the smashing of her heart within her chest. #fail

She tried to see the possibility of them surviving… I mean there’ve been plane survivors in the past. She tried to see … #fail

GOD, is this how I’m going to die?

She thought of everything that had led to this and the tears resumed their voyage down her eyes.

At least I’m glad I could bring some element of comfort to another human being in my final hours. That gives me some joy. But still…

I don’t want to die.

“Can I have your attention please?”

The voice of the captain over the sound system brought the mayhem to a temporary and quick halt. Everyone was expecting some good news…ANY good news.

“We have a serious problem with our engines and we are trying to manage the situation the best way possible.” Pause. “This isn’t professional but I have to be real with you. If you can pray, pray. GOD help us all.”

It seemed like someone pressed the resume button, because the mayhem continued in full swing.

Bolanle stared at Alhaji, who seemed at a shock.

“Sah, before we die, pls no vex for wetin I do today. You vex me but still ehn…”

Alhaji was speechless. A side of his head was slightly swollen from when he had banged it earlier.

He looked like he had aged ten years in the past few minutes.

“You don’t have to apologize my dear. It’s…” He blanked out, both in thoughts and words.

Bolanle turned to look out the window.

My first time to enter this thing and see wetin happen. Shey later now dem go dey talk say I be bush. Choi, later no go come dey cos e be like say na kpai get us for here today.

E no fair. BABA, e no fair at all.

Then, the plane gradually steadied and began to gain altitude. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, not entirely sure that it was for real.

But sure enough, the buildings began to grow smaller and smaller again. The plane rose up and maintained a stable altitude.

The sigh of relief was deafening. People were crying, singing, some had their hands lifted up.

Cassandra hugged Yinka in relief, Alhaji buried his head in his hands while Bolanle held him, crying and laughing at the same time… it was all fanfare in the plane.

Yinka smiled and kept on typing. He would send it so whenever the plane was within network range, his story would go out.

All of a sudden, the sound of the engine died.

A few people noticed and instinctively looked around. Other were still busy rejoicing.

What everyone did notice however, was that the plane had started dropping again.

In a nosedive.

The screams resumed.

“Oh GOD” Cassandra screamed.

Yinka pressed ‘send’, threw the laptop aside, leaned over and held her.

OH GOD!

4 Months & 23 Days Later

People walked into the hall, chattering in low tones, all dressed in dark colours.

Clear in sight was a sculpture of a plane in its prime. Quite beautiful to look at actually.

People spoke in hushed tones while the event went on. There were a couple of teary eyes. A lot of people held hands.

Finally YINKA rolled up to the podium in his wheelchair and was given a mic. The hall quieted.

He gave his version of the event. As a writer, reporter and speaker, he knew how to move his audience.

And he did. He spoke of that day for a few minutes.

“… I shall be out of this wheelchair in a few months, and I count myself blessed to be graced with life. I dedicate this book to the few we lost. To the brave pilot whose brilliance and braveness saved most of us. And to GOD, to who we owe all our thanks. Thank you.”

A few people clapped, most were sober. He rolled himself off the stage, thinking a thought that had plagued him since that day.

Where’s Cassandra?

Alhaji and Bolanle, amongst others walked up to him and asked him to sign a copy of the book.

He looked at the title a on the cover page. ENROUTE. What a journey it had been.

When he returned the books, they walked away without a word. He watched them share a few words before walking their separate ways. Soon he was surrounded by other people who wanted their copies signed.

He was standing in front of two grumpy looking ladies who were checking-in his luggage and issuing him a ticket. Sometimes he wondered why they always looked so grumpy. Like the least they could do was paste a fake smile on their faces and maybe people will feel better about driving all the way through the bad roads and traffic that lead to Murtala Mohammed Airport, only to sweat some more and face attendants who looked like they were in a permanent state of Menstrual Pain.

Hmmm, “permanent state of menstrual pain”. He mumbled to himself as he typed the phrase into his I pad.

He liked to document random thoughts and ideas. These were the bedrock of many great stories and also what made him stand out in the midst of his fellow reporters.

Yes. A reporter who hated travelling.

He sighed as he typed that in too.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

CASSANDRA was walking round the waiting lounge, looking in vain for a place to plug and charge her phone. Ironically she had carried out this search before, several times in fact. Maybe hoping that someday, someone will take pity on people like her and install some goddamn sockets. A girl can only dream right?

She eventually gave up and slumped on one of the metal chairs to wait for her flight

As expected, a young (and good) looking guy walked over and took the seat beside her. She smiled to herself. Okay, maybe she wasn’t really looking for a socket after all.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

BOLANLE watched the young looking twenty-something ish years old lady parade up and down the lounge as she usually did most of the time she was travelling.

This wan no get job.

She worked in a small café in the lounge where travelers, weary from waiting for their repeatedly delayed flights, usually shuffled in for an overpriced bite and a drink. Several times, they do complain about the prices.

“Hey! Why is this thing so expensive? I can get it for ‘so-so and so’ outside”

“Sir I’m sorry, but that’s the price.” Na charity we dey run?

“Don’t ‘sorry’ me.”

NESKT!!!!

She sort of liked her job. With the little education she had in life, she was content with what she had. Besides, she loved the drama that typically went on in the large waiting lounge. And of all her ‘actors’. Cassandra was one of her favourites.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

“You’re very stupid! If I miss my flight, just know I’ll deduct it from your salary.”

ALHAJI MANSUR was very angry. Not only had the driver come late to the house, but he had also decided to take the longest route to the airport and now he was running really late for the flight.

“Sorry sah. I been think say here go free sah, na why…”

“Shut up and just get me there”, Alhaji fumed.

The driver kept going, not a tit bit worried about his salary. For all his rants and outbursts, he knew he was practically indispensable to Alhaji. And after seven years of working with him, he was used to his temper.

Alhaji eyed his driver from his perch at the back seat. He knew what the man was thinking right now. That he was indispensable and that for all his rants and threats, EVEN if he missed the flight, no one’s job or salary would really be at stake.

He sighed loudly… the driver was totally right.

When they finally got to the airport, the driver flew out of the vehicle and got his bag out from the car.

“Safe journey sir.” He smiled wryly.

Alhaji just nodded and hurried off to get his ticket.

As the driver watched him walk off, he smiled as he took out his phone and dialed a number.

“Baby he haf go! Yesso, full cruise, I dey come naow naow naow!”

With that he hung up and was gone in a flash.

Meanwhile Alhaji had a problem inside.

“Sir, we’ve closed the counter for this flight.”

“What do you mean? I still have about fifteen minutes before boarding.”

“Sir, boarding time is one hour before the flight. I’m sorry but the counter is closed.”

Alhaji looked at the young man squarely and was about to go into one of his legendary outbursts when over the speakers, a one hour delay was announced for his flight.

Alhaji held his tongue and briskly walked to the counter to get his ticket.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Back in the lounge, Yinka was trying not to be too upset about his delayed flight. He surfed through the web and made some notes while whiling away the time.

He couldn’t help but notice that the lady beside him kept staring at him and flicking her Brazilian hair from side to side. Okay, she WAS pretty and this dress she had on…

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he cleared his throat and leaned slightly towards her, like he was going to start a conversation. Quick as flash, the lady put up the ‘I’m-hot-and-about-to-play-hard-to-get’ look up on her face. He struggled to keep from laughing as he kept mute and instead, reached out for the newspaper by the side.

OUCH!

He smiled to himself. Hmm, that’s true. I should call my fiancé and let her know the flight was delayed.

At this time, she probably assumed that he was airborne and en-route already.

He speed-dialed her number and waited as the phone rang. With more mischief in his eyes, he decided to put on the speaker. Maybe all the love talk will chase Miss pretty girl away.

Cassandra had her arms folded and was fuming silently. What a jerk! She could swear that this guy was taunting her on purpose. She side eyed his phone and saw he was calling “BABY”… and he put it on speaker for that matter. Only the two of them were seated there so it HAD to be on purpose!

She was about to get up when the call went through. But instead of a cute “Hello, baby” he was probably expecting, they could both hear, clearly, very very clearly, the sound of people making out on the other end of the phone.

Yinka froze for a full eight seconds with his mouth wide open, trying to convince himself (and failing woefully) that this wasn’t Pate’s voice in the background.

When his reflexes finally remembered to kick in, he quickly ended the call.

Save for his dark complexion, he would have been totally red in the face.

Cassandra cleared her throat and leaned towards him.

Slowly. Very slowly. Making every mini-second count.

“Is that like a ring back tune or something? If it is, I totally need one of those! Totally awesome!”

When Robert finally woke up, he found himself bound to a chair in a brightly lit room. He looked around slowly and realized that he was alone.

He shook his head gently, as the full details of this fiasco flooded his mind.

His name WAS Robert.

He WAS the President.

Two weeks ago, he had received a surprise call from Richard, his twin. The fact was that there was no love lost between them; quite unusual for twin brothers.

He had always been the better of the two and their parents didn’t help matters by pointing this out at every given opportunity. It also didn’t help matters that Robert ‘stole’ his girlfriends on more than one occasion. Frankly, it was all a game to him… apparently not to Richard.

He hated them all.

A few years down the line, Robert got a call while away at his Ivy League school where he was running his master’s program. His parents were dead. The house got burnt and all was lost. All except Richard of cause.

Richard claimed to be out when the ‘incident’ happened. Though he had no particularly strong alibi, he was let off the hook; after all he was also a victim of some sort as he sustained some burns trying to save them.

Robert always had his reservations about that story, but he never voiced them.

After the burial, Richard hung around for a few months and took off, never to be heard from until he got elected.

And after that, he vanished again, until two weeks ago, when he called him.

“Hello”

“Robert. It’s me.”

Robert recognized his gruff voice right away. In fact, they did sound alike too, only that Richard’s was abit rough around the edges.

“Richard.”

They said nothing for a while.

“I’ve been following up on you Mr. President. You’re doing well.”

“Thanks.”

Silence

“… Where have you been Richard? Why did you…”

“You’re in danger Rob.”

He paused. “I’m the President Rich, I’m potentially always in some form of danger.”

“Don’t rub that in my face you piece of crap. You’re the President, so freaking what?”

“Ooooooh, someone’s still pissed off at my shadow I see.” Robert hated that Richard still held a grudge.

“Goodbye Rob.”

“Wait. Sorry.”

There was a pause.

“Listen carefully.”

And listen he did.

Someone wanted him out. Richard gave him loads of details and information that all checked out. How did he know? Well that was cause not only did they want him dead, they wanted him replaced by someone who’d go soft on certain laws. Who better than the President’s twin, who particularly hated his guts.

Someone had done their homework apparently.

“So why are you telling me all this Richard?”

Pause.

“I may hate your guts, but I’m not stupid enough to go through with this without letting you on it. Even if I was… you’re the only family I’ve got left and…”

…

“I understand. Just play along till I get some more information about this. And thank you.”

So he quietly set his hounds on the trail and surprisingly, everything turned out to be true and well planned. So well planned that making arrests would only delay the inevitable. So he came up with the plan of going blank and Richard agreed. With his help, he’d get to the bottom of it without getting killed.

He told Sophie what she needed to know. Fast forward the whole thing and here he was, bound to a chair.

Two weeks seemed like a long long time ago.

The door opened and RB walked in.

“We would have preferred if you had just stayed put at the facility.”

Robert stared at him blankly.

“We planned to kill you, really. But then you lost your memory, and we thought that you could still be useful to us in some way.” Richard’s pulse shot up as he walked behind him. “But then, it seems like you were somehow aware of this our little arrangement, and even though you couldn’t remember a thing, you got out.”

RB’s movements stopped.

“The only reason you’re not dead right now Mr. President, is cause your brother insisted we wait…delay the inevitable.”

Robert smiled. This was the plan he had discussed with Richard. He should be here any minute now and…

Behind him, RB smiled suddenly kicked out at him, sending Robert tumbling, still stuck to the chair.

Just then the door opened and Richard walked in. he frowned at RB and lifted Robert off the ground.

“Please leave us.”

RB grunted and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

“He’s technically in hate with you Rob.”

“I figured. Thanks for showing up”

Richard walked back to the door, opened it slightly and shut it back. He then quickly untied him.

Robert quickly got up, rubbing his wrists. “So what do we do…?”

At first, he wasn’t quite sure what had happened. When the second bullet ripped through his thighs, he fell to his knees in pain.

“Richard…why?”

Richard stared at him for a minute, enjoying the sight of him writhing in pain.

“The only reason I called you before all of this began was so I could keep tabs on you Rob.”

Robert couldn’t believe his ears.

“Richie don’t do this, come on. This is taking it too far come on!”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Too far was when you and your parents ruined my life by placing me in your shadow before I knew what the words ‘too far’ meant.”

His eyes were cold.

“Don’t do this…”

“I already did Rob, I’m sorry. Thank you for being so good at everything and being the President now. Now I can have whatever I want! And oh, don’t worry, Sophie’s fine. I prepared very well for this role and I’ll relish every minute of it.”

Rob was going to say something when the bullet struck his chest.

The Presidentdropped the gun and briskly walked out of the room.

Rob seemed to fall in slow motion before finally hitting the floor. His eyes were fixed on the retreating feet of Richard and then, they went BLANK.